the Duke dukes it out

Rating: 8/10 (25 August 2007)

overwhelming version of Cornelius Ryan's bestseller about the turning point of WW II,featuring an all-star cast.it's impressive length,at 3 hours,captures the trials and tribulations of both Allied and German forces on June 6,1944.this movie was directed by a trio of capable directors from both sides of the war,in true documentary style.the first half shows the preparation and anticipation from both points of view,with the latter half dealing with the battle itself.probably the last great B&W war film,and one can only wonder what it would have been like in color.the photography is gritty,especially in the battles,and many aspects are shown in great detail(one being the Parachute drop in St. Mere-Eglise).the cast is a who's who of '60's Hollywood with John Wayne and Robert Mitchum standing out,and numerous cameos by other major stars(current and future).compared to Platoon or Saving Private Ryan it is pretty dated as it shows no gore and has pretty tame language.but for it's faults,this tribute to the Greatest Generation is fine entertainment.